11 Dec 2024

Government has been encouraged to allow Members of Parliament freedom of thought to enhance their legislative capabilities.

 The advice was rendered by Kgatleng West legislator, Dr Unity Dow during the State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) debates on Monday.

Dr Dow said such would be a welcome departure from the practice of the previous administration, which she said stifled its legislators.

“Allowing them independence of thought would also align well with your plans as a human rights led government,” she said and thought equally important was the need for government to cement its human rights intent by ensuring tribal equality.

“No tribe would want itself to be resented because this can disturb peace and tranquility,” she said.

Dr Dow said that it was important that the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) demonstrated their seriousness of human rights by revisiting family and children’s rights.

She said they should look at acts such as the Citizenship Act, which had inadequacies especially on children born of one foreign parent.

There is a need to toughen legislatures on child maintenance, to ensure maximum care and protection, Dr Dow said and requested government to relax policies on requirements of kindergartens as most were unreasonable.

“Kindergartens are important for women as caretakers because that is where they leave their children when going to work, but regulations of kindergartens are ridiculous to the extent that they lead to closure, which is a blow to women as it narrows their options,” she said.

Dr Dow also said that it was a concern that Botswana had become known globally as a rape centre, something that must be condemned.

“We need to create special courts dedicated to issues of gender based violence, to ensure cases are expedited,” she said.

Dr Dow also called on government to promote respect for personal space and not snoop on people of different sexual orientations.

She said that it was important for Batswana to support the ruling UDC as it was their choice of government.

On issues concerning her constituency, Dr Dow complained about water shortage in Rasesa and Bokaa as well as slow allocation of land in Kgatleng.

Tati West legislator, Mr Justin Hunyepa indicated that his constituency had potential of doing well in tourism and agriculture sector hence pleaded with government to avail part of the land that was recently transferred from the Tati Company for a game park and ploughing fields.

“This will help in the economic diversity of the area as well as job creation. We have also been struggling with land for ploughing and it is our hope that part of the land will be reserved for that purpose,” he said.

Mr Hunyepa, who is also the assistant Minister of Higher Education, said that just like the rest of the citizenry, his constituents were equally eager to contribute to the nation’s food security.

He requested government to ensure that low cost tenders were reserved for residents, to address issues as economic inequalities.

Mr Hunyepa further said that his constituency was in need of roads networks, administration blocks at schools, upgrading of health posts to clinics and for satellite police stations especially, for villages along the borders of neighbouring countries. Ends